Janice Hardy's Blog, page 30
February 2, 2021
6 Rules for Retelling Classic Stories
By Bethany HenryPart of The How They Do It Series
JH: Putting a fresh twist on a classic story brings new life to it. Bethany Henry shares tips on how to retell a classic tale.
Bethany Henry writes fantasy novels and blogs about writing and wellness at bethany-henry.com. When not writing, she can often be found on the frisbee field, drinking tea, or reading picture books with her two little girls. Sign up for her email list for weekly posts on writing craft- along with fun extras like quotes and freebies.
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Take it away Bethany...Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 1, 2021
If Nothing Changes in Your Novel, You Have No Story
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy No matter how exciting a scene might be, if it doesn’t change anything in the story, it’s not doing your novel any good.
If there’s one thing that’s constant in all novels, it’s change. No matter what genre, a character experiences a series of events and things are different by the end of the tale. The more character-focused the novel, the greater and more personal this change is likely to be, but it appears in even the most plot-centric books as well.
A mystery starts off with a victim and ends up with a killer caught and justice served. A thriller starts off with someone in jeopardy and ends up with people saved. A fantasy starts off with a hero facing a quest and ends up with that quest fulfilled.
The “big change” is what the book is ultimately about, but changes exist at every structural level of the novel. Plot events change how characters act, character realizations change how the plot unfolds, information revealed changes how readers and characters see and understand the story itself and the people in it.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 30, 2021
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a Historical Short Story Opening
Critique By Maria D'Marco WIP Diagnostics is a weekly column that studies a snippet of a work in progress for specific issues. Readers are encouraged to send in work with questions, and we diagnose it on the site. It’s part critique, part example, and designed to help the submitter as well as anyone else having a similar problem.
If you're interested in submitting to WIP Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines.
Submissions currently in the queue: Zero
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are open.
This week’s question:
Does this opening work?
Market/Genre: Historical Short Story
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 29, 2021
What You Should Know About the Three Act Structure
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyStory structure is a useful tool for developing and writing a novel.
The first time I learned about story structure, it felt as if the sky had opened and truth crashed down upon my head. There was a format for writing a novel? Why hadn’t anyone told me about this?
I embraced it wholeheartedly, and have spent my writing life learning as much about it as I could. I love structure, and love seeing how different writers use it and adapt it to their processes. I’ve fiddled with mine over the years and improved it, as well as totally mucked it up (these things happen).
My favorite is the classic Three Act Structure. I find it the easiest to use, and the most flexible to adapt to suit a writer’s needs.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 28, 2021
3 Quick Building Blocks to Creating Crackling Character Chemistry
By Bonnie RandallPart of The How They Do It Series
JH: When sparks fly between characters, so do the pages. Bonnie Randall shares tips on creating irresistible chemistry between your characters.
So, I’m reading a novel right now—romantic suspense—and I’m enthralled by the snap-crackle-pop of sexual tension between two of the characters.
Except…I don’t think they’re the characters the author intended me to get giddy for. In fact it might even freak her out to know that the hottest couple she created is… <drumroll> the hero and the heroine’s grandmother.
Yes. Grandmother.
(Hey—don’t look at me that way. I don’t make the news, I just report it).
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 27, 2021
How to Shame Your Characters and Win Readers
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy If your characters aren’t hiding shameful secrets, you’re missing an opportunity for a stronger story.
Close your eyes and think about your most shameful secret. Feel that twist in your gut? That flush creeping across your skin? Have you pulled in on yourself, maybe crossed your arms and hunched your shoulders?
Remember those feelings, because you can make serious use of them in your writing.
Few things motivate a character like the fear of shameful secrets coming to light. It doesn’t even have to be a really bad secret, just one that makes a character cringe and wish it never happened. Maybe they bullied someone. Maybe they stole something. Maybe they dropped the vial of zombie virus and started the apocalypse.
Whatever it is, it hurts them to think about it and horrifies them that someone else might find out—or worse—call them on it. It saps their confidence, pops into their mind at the worst times, and can ruin an otherwise excellent day.
And that’s a good thing.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 26, 2021
How to Sneak Flashbacks into Your Novel
By Spencer Ellsworth, @spencimus
Part of The How They Do It Series
JH: Flashbacks are on the "use with caution" list of writing, but done well, they can enrich a novel. Spencer Ellsworth share thoughts on how to make flashbacks work in your story.
Spencer Ellsworth is the author of The Great Faerie Strike from Broken Eye Books and the Starfire space opera trilogy from Tor. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and three children, and would really like a war mammoth if you know a guy.
Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Take it away Spencer…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 25, 2021
Writers: Stop Being Nice to Your Characters
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Going easy on your characters often results in a plot that no one wants to read.
There are some writers who cringe at the thought of putting their characters into danger. Caring authors who encourage and look after their fictional charges as they send them on their literary ways.
I’m not one of those writers.
I love to torment my characters. I cackle with glee when I devise something horrible to do to them. Maybe it’s my dark side coming out, I don’t know.
Take the characters in my teen fantasy series, The Healing Wars. The heroine, Nya, never gets a break from me. First, I kill most of her family (this is before the story opens). Then, I give her an evil “is it a blessing or a curse?” magical ability (she can heal, but only if she shifts pain from one person to another). To add insult to this injury, I give her a little sister who can heal without the nasty drawback and all its nastier side-effects (because ya know, being jealous of your little sister really bites).
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 23, 2021
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a Cozy Mystery Opening
Critique By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyWIP Diagnostics is a weekly column that studies a snippet of a work in progress for specific issues. Readers are encouraged to send in work with questions, and we diagnose it on the site. It’s part critique, part example, and designed to help the submitter as well as anyone else having a similar problem.
If you're interested in submitting to WIP Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines.
Submissions currently in the queue: One
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked until January 30.
This week’s question:
I've been working hard on creating better characters. My goal is for Cherry to be compelling from her first moments—is that coming through?
Market/Genre: Cozy Mystery
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 22, 2021
Why Your Novel Isn’t Hooking Your Reader
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy How to tell the difference between good setup, and bad setup, in your novel.
I’ve always written fantasy and science fiction, so I learned right away how perilous setup is to a novel. I wrote dozens of terrible beginnings and first acts that were barely more than a dramatized version of my notes. Characters gave lectures, they didn’t have conversations. And I’d stick my authorial nose into the story to explain the things my characters didn’t know.
I even wrote the dreaded, history-ladened “fantasy world building prologue” a time or two. [shudders]
On the bright side, facing this extra challenge early on helped me figure out how show, don’t tell and point of view worked, which made writing in general a lot easier. It also taught me a very good lesson I still use today.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
